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CHAPTER XLV 

 TYPHOID FEVER 



sn 





Bacterium typhosum 



Some have flagella 



What is the danger of typhoid infection in the United States f What are 

 some of the measures of preventing typhoid infection ? Why are oysters 

 a greater source of contamination than milk, in some cities f 



Prevalence of typhoid fever. During the Spanish-American 

 War typhoid spread rapidly through the embarkation camp in 

 Florida. More men died of fever than were killed in battle. 

 During the South African War, the British army lost 7582 men 

 from wounds and 8225 from typhoid. To-day, all soldiers in our 

 army are required to be vaccinated against typhoid fever; and 

 typhoid is probably rarer in military camps than in the most 

 healthful cities and towns. Formerly, the death rate of typhoid 

 in the United States was forty per 100,000. In the last few years 

 this number has been reduced to four per 100,000. 



Since the World War, the death rate from typhoid has been re- 

 duced most among men between 29 and 45 years of age. This 

 is largely due to the education and practice in disease prevention 

 by vaccination given to the millions of men who were in the army. 



Cause. Typhoid is due to a small, motile, rod-shaped bacte- 

 rium, the typhoid bacillus. It is short, probably about one half 

 the length of the diphtheria bacillus. 



Nature and symptoms of typhoid fever. The disease is located 

 primarily in the lining of the intestine. The germs then pene- 



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